How to Set Goals You’ll Actually Keep (The Science-Backed System to Achieve Anything)

Every new year, millions of people make promises to themselves. Does this sound familiar? I'm going to get in shape. I'm going to start that business. I'm going to be more focused, more disciplined, more consistent than ever. But what happens? By the end of the first week of February, 80% of people have already given up. That's what studies are showing us. Most resolutions don't make it even past January 19th. It's not because they're lazy or unmotivated, and certainly not because they're not capable. It's because no one has ever taught them how their brain actually works when it comes to achieving their goals. You've been trying to achieve extraordinary results with an outdated operating system. You set goals based on things like willpower, motivation, instead of structure, clarity, and strategy. But what if this year could be different? What if you could actually train your brain to actually want to Follow through, to stay focused, to stay consistent and unstoppable long after everyone else has quit. Because here's the truth most people don't know or even want you to know. Growth isn't about setting goals. It's about setting brain-friendly goals, goals designed for how your mind really works. Because once you understand how your mind works, you can work your mind. And that's exactly what we're going to talk about today. Today, I'm going to show you A proven science-based system to make your goals stick. So it's not just about goal setting, it's about goal getting, even when you're busy or fallen off track in the past. You can leave that behind. In this episode, you'll learn and discover things like number 1, the brain-friendly goal formula, how to set goals your brain will remember and feel the impulse to act on. Number 2, the follow-through engine, how to stay consistent Through tiny strategic habits. Number 3, environment design. How to make winning your default. Number 4, busy person plan. A simple daily structure that fits in any schedule. It's definitely— you want to watch this one. And finally, number 5, failproof reset. This is a step-by-step way to bounce not only back, but bounce forward stronger when When life gets, let's call it messy. So before you make another resolution, stop and then breathe, because this time we're not doing it the old way, full of pressure and guilt and unclear expectations. This year, your year, you're upgrading your mental software. This year, let's hack your brain for greater levels of success. Are you ready? Let's get started. Number 1, the brain-friendly goal formula. Most people think about their goals, but that's where it stops. But your brain doesn't act just on thoughts. It acts on things like what's written, things that you visualized, things that also you've emotionalized. So instead of just thinking About your goals, you're gonna write them, you're gonna feel them, and you're gonna see them. So what does that mean? This is how it looks. Write. And you can do this with me right now. You can rewatch this and make this part of your exercise. Writing. There's something very powerful about putting pen to paper. You're taking the invisible, an idea in your mind, and you're making it visible, literally in front of you. There was a study done from the Dominican University of California found that people who wrote down their goals And checked it weekly were 42% more likely to achieve them. 42%, just by writing them down. Because when you write something down, what are you doing? You're telling your brain this matters. So grab your notebook right now and write down 3 specific goals for the first quarter of the year. Not the whole year. Just the next 90 days.

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Your brain has trouble focusing on 12 months at once, so let's break it down and make them measurable. You don't wanna write, I wanna get fit. You could write something like, I want to lose 20 pounds. And here's one more, let's call it a pro tip. Pair every goal with some kind of lead measure, not just a lag measure. What's the difference? A lag measure is the outcome that you can't fully control. Losing 20 pounds or earning $10,000. A lead measure is the daily action that makes the outcome inevitable. For example, the lag would be, let's say, losing 20 pounds. The lead would be walk 10,000 steps, eat protein at every meal and no sugar. The lag could be read 24 books. But the lead would be read 15 pages after lunch every day. So you focus on actions and what happens? The results will follow and the results will speak for themselves. Remember, it's not just mental, it's emotional. So feel. Here's the link that most people skip is the emotion. Your brain doesn't hold onto all the time just what's logical. It remembers what's emotional. Right? Information times emotion becomes that long-term memory. So each goal, add a line that starts with because. Because I want to start my business. Because I want to be financially free for my family. Because I want to lose 20 pounds. Because I want to feel healthy. I want to feel strong. I want to feel vibrant and energized again. That emotional why creates energy On the hard days, right? When motivation fades. Remember the limitless formula, P times E times S3, purpose, energy, small simple steps. And then also remember, you're seeing this. Your brain more obeys what it sees the most. If your goals get buried in just your notebook or it's sitting in a file on a desktop somewhere on your computer, Out of sight, out of mind, right? They disappear. But if you put them where your eyes go, maybe it's your phone lock screen, you have like a little vision board image there. Maybe it's your bathroom mirror. Maybe it's your coffee maker. They'll become part of your daily reality, right? 'Cause you're gonna pay attention to it more. That's why elite performers don't just, they're not just writing their goals. Certainly they do that. They design environments that remind them of those goals constantly, right? It's always in their environment, and their external world is a reflection of their internal world. I'm always looking for ways to keep my brain and my body performing their best. And the older I get, I'm in my 50s, the more I care about my cells because your cells are where your energy, your strength, and your focus actually comes from. If your cells are slowing down, Everything slows down with them. So recently I started taking Timeline's MitoPure Longevity Gummies. These are gummy, they're yummy, and I've noticed a big difference. 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While this offer lasts, your cells will thank you. Now back to the episode. Now let's talk about number two. This is the follow-through engine. Motivation, inspiration, willpower—it's like a match. It can burn a spark, but that burnout could happen fast. That's where implementation intentions come in. They're the wiring that keeps the spark. The Kindle, if you will, alive. In psychology and implementation intention, it means writing a clear rule for your brain. If situation X happens, then I'll do Y. If it's 7:00 AM, then I'll lace up my shoes and go for a walk. If I finish lunch, then I will read 15 pages. If I open my laptop, Then I'll spend 25 minutes on my most important task before checking social media or emails. It sounds simple because, because it is, maybe almost too simple. And that can be an excuse not to do it 'cause it's, wow, it's so simple. But lean into it. Decades of research show this, that small shifts make you far more likely to follow through because you take those little steps and then you get the dopamine. Right? It's not— you had to earn it. And that dopamine is the molecule of motivation. So you're more likely to follow through because it replaces also that cognitive load, that decision-making fatigue. Because what are you doing? You're automating it. You have these programs, right? These mental programs that you're running. You're giving your brain like a map. And I can be your guide with this. Many of you are in our Kwik Success Program where we go live a couple times a month. That's the only place where I do that outside of our Inner Triangle, which is our high-level personalized intimate group coaching for 12 months. But you could, for more information, you just go simply to kwiksuccess.com for more information. kwiksuccess.com. You could join a community of hundreds of individuals. We get together every single month, twice online. And it's just, it's outstanding. I coach something that I've never taught before in any podcast or book or course and answer your burning questions. And we coach you along. And we also have a book club where we bring the author in every single month. We read the book together. Many of you are part of it already. kwiksuccess.com. Please join us. Now, if you want to take this even further, you could add WOOP. W-O-O-P. What does it stand for? It's an acronym. W is wish. The O is outcome. The second O is the obstacle. And then the last P is the plan. Think of your wish, your goal. Now visualize the outcome. Do this fast forward. Like fast forward, like you're the director of your own mind. This is part of the process that I teach called future episodic remembering. How will it feel? Acknowledge the obstacle. What might get in your way? Then plan for it. Use your if-then. This is a 1-2 combo. Whoop plus implementation intention makes success more predictable. And when it's more certain, you're more likely to follow through. When it's more clear, you're more likely to follow through. And you're preloading your brain with solutions before the problems even arise. Okay, let's talk about number 3, environment design. Environment design. Here's a truth most people overlook. Your environment shapes your behavior far more than your motivation does. What do I mean? Your brain will always follow the path of Least resistance. So let's design your environment to make the right path the easiest choice. Remember, you want to remove friction for the good habits. You want to do things like you could pre-fill your water bottle, lay out your clothes before bed, keep the book that you're reading on your desk. Add friction though, For the disempowering, the bad habits, if you will. Log out of distracting apps. Make it more difficult, right? Create more friction to get back on. Turn off your notifications. Throw away snacks that don't align with your goals. Let's say your goal is you wanna focus better. Try timeboxing. You could set a 25-minute timer for deep work, then take a 5-minute brain break for movement. Do that twice, and you've just done an hour of focused, distraction-free work. And here's a fun one: rename your calendar blocks. Don't just schedule workout; label it athlete hour. Pretend you're running your own news network, and every single time block that you're putting there, you can name it like a show. You know, this is your focus on athletics. Act like the labels. That you wear. That's what we're gonna do. You're gonna act like the labels that you wear. When your environment reflects your future identity, what's gonna happen? Your habits are going to more naturally flow. So just remember, you wanna make the things that are good for you easier in your environment, and you wanna make the things that are not so good for you more difficult. Number 4, let's talk about the busy person plan. Let's be real. You're busy. You have work and responsibilities. You have emails, people to take care of, and the thought of adding another habit or another system to your day might sound like it's too much. But here's the thing. You don't need more time. You just need to use a little of it more intentionally. Now, if you're still thinking, Jim, I don't have the time for this, I want you to do something that's going to be eye-opening for you. Open your phone and go to your screen time report. You've heard about this, but have you done it? Look at how much time that is spent on non-essential apps. Might be social media, might be games, scrolling, whatever. What's that number? Are you willing to share it? Are you spending an hour a day? 2.

More?

Here's the reality. The time is there. It's just being spent on things that won't necessarily move you closer to your goals. So take a portion of that screen time and invest it in your future self. If you have 24 hours in a day and you— I'm asking you to read for 30 minutes, that's only 2% of your day. 2% to give you all that benefit. You can completely rewire your brain for focus and discipline And more clarity this year. Let me show you how. Before you do anything, before the messages and the news and the emails, just take a few minutes and look at your, your one-page dashboard. Remind your brain what matters before the world tells you what matters or what's urgent. Then take action on one if-then behavior immediately. No thinking, no negotiating with yourself, no debating. Just, just start. If it's 7:00 AM, I go for my walk. If it's after coffee, I write one paragraph. Those small early wins releases dopamine, gives your brain that I'm winning, right? Again, the molecule of motivation. It's signal first thing in the morning. And right before you dive into your day, ask yourself a question I ask myself. It's a powerful question. What's the one thing I could do today that would make everything else easier or even unnecessary? That's your daily compass. By the end of your day, your brain's energy naturally dips, right? Instead of reaching for caffeine or scrolling, take a brain break to reset. Stand up, stretch, move, do some breathing exercises, get some, get some hydration. Make sure you get that oxygen flowing to your brain. It will improve your focus more for the rest of that day. And then here's a challenge, a 60-second recall drill. Ask yourself, what have I done so far today that moved me closer to my goal? It's a nice check-in, nice filter system, and I would even say it out loud or record it on your phone. This 1 minute of reflection, what does it do? It kind of locks in. Your progress. It brings your awareness to the progress you're making. And it also, for many, I would imagine, definitely for me, it reinforces your confidence because your brain repeats what it recognizes as success. And it's different for every single person depending on what the goals you were setting in the beginning. At night, very easy. It doesn't take time. I feel like it just makes time, makes more meaning. Take a few minutes to shut down your day with With greater levels of intention. Write down 3 things that you're grateful for, but make them specific to your growth or your goals. Then write your top if-then statement for tomorrow. You're like programming your subconscious overnight. When you sleep, your brain can rehearse what it's told is important. And then finally, you could close the day with Just one sentence. Today I moved the needle by— even if it's something small. You showed up, you took that one step. Your brain records that as progress, and progress is what fuels consistency. All right, the last one, the fail-proof reset. What do you do when you miss a day? This is where the fail-proof reset comes in. When you miss a day, let's be honest, you're going to have days Where you fall off. I mean, it's, it's not negative thinking. It's just more of a reality for a lot of people, right? You might oversleep, you might skip a workout, you might miss your speed reading, quick reading time practice, or forget to review your goals. It happens to everyone, even the best performers. The difference between people who achieve their goals And those who don't isn't perfection. It's how fast they can reset. Champions don't avoid failure. They recover faster from it. If you watch tennis, if somebody serves the ball, it goes into the net, or they make a bad shot, they have some kind of reset. And it's usually psychological or physiological, some kind of movement, something they're saying to themselves so that they don't dwell on what just happened. Right? And so here are a couple ideas in a way you could do this yourself in your daily life like a pro. Number 1, don't make falling off a pattern. Missing 1 day, it's human. Missing 2, you start to create a new pattern. You start to create a new habit. So if today slipped, make tomorrow a non-negotiable. It's not about guilt. It's about Momentum. When I wanted to start, especially when I was doing the reading practice, when I first learned this, how to read faster with better focus comprehension, I would practice and something came up and I would miss a day. But I won't miss 2 days. So that, that's my non-negotiable. I could miss 1 day of working out, but I won't miss 2. So I think at a meta level, you showing up for yourself is like one of the ultimate habits. The habit of doing what you say you're going to do, and having grace and compassion when we aren't able to do it. This came up at work; this came out with the kids. I wasn't able to do this. You don't beat yourself up because studies in self-compassion show kindness actually is better than beating yourself up to follow through each time you get back on track, right? And more quickly, you reinforce the identity of someone who follows through. If you have a friend or a family member that you Promise to do this or that and you don't follow through, after a while you start to erode trust. Well, what about your trust in yourself? When you put something off, you say you're gonna do something, but you don't do it. This is just as a coach, you know, and again, we teach the things that we most need to learn. So I definitely wanna be able to be better at this also as well. But just a reminder, every time you get back on track this quickly, you can reinforce that new identity as someone who follows through. You are the person that you say you are. Number 2, reset with kindness, not punishment. When you fall behind, resist the urge to make up for it by overworking or going all in the next day. That's how some people could burn out and then they quit. If you missed a workout, don't double up tomorrow. Just move your body for the time that you had set before. Same thing with reading. You don't have to double your reading just to do it, 'cause little by little, A little becomes a lot, right? If you're persistent, you could achieve it, but if you're consistent, you get to keep it. If you skipped writing, just jot down a few bullet points or maybe one sentence. You wanna start the momentum. Small, simple steps. Remember, inch by inch, it's a cinch. Yard by yard, it's too hard. The goal isn't to punish yourself, it's to rebuild trust with yourself. Let me say that again. The goal is not to punish yourself. The goal is to rebuild Your trust in yourself. Consistency isn't about intensity. It's about creating sustainable habits. Number 3, reflect and adjust. Instead of beating yourself up, get curious. Ask yourself, what, what threw me off? Was it a scheduling issue? Was I distracted? Was it my mindset? And what small change Could help make it easier the next time. And this reflection helps you to learn, get curious, not judgmental, because you realize your habit cue, that trigger, might be too late in the day, or your environment is making it easy for you to forget to do something, or small tweaks, remembering that small tweaks compound over time. Number 4, reconnect with your why. Remember, that's go from your head to your heart to your hands. When you lose momentum, We often lose sight of why we started. So take a moment, pause, go back and do a, do a reload. That emotional line under your goal, the one that starts with because, because that's your reason, that's your fuel. Reasons reap results. The truth is progress isn't linear when you take steps forward and steps back, but Every reset is proof that you're, that you're still in the game. You're still in the arena. So when you stumble, don't refer to it or reference it as, as, as failure. There's no such thing as failure. Think of it as feedback. And feedback, as they say, is the breakfast of champions. And your brain learns resilience every time that you bounce back, right? This is how you train yourself not just to chase goals, but to build a life Of consistency, confidence, and that important self-trust. As we wrap, a reminder, you don't rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. First, you create your habits, then those habits create you. So here's what I want you to do right now. I want you to comment below 3 things. Number 1, what is your goal the next 3 months? Number 2, what are your if-then statements? And number 3, what is your tiny 2-minute action that you will take right now, or definitely today? Because once you write it, you help to encode it. So let's make this your year of follow-through, your year of limitless breakthroughs, your year Until next time, this is your brain coach. Stay limitless. Stay limitless.